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Coal Machinery Memorial - Ruston BucyrusPrint Page 
The Ruston Bucyrus mechanical shovel commemorates the coal industry in Collie.
World War Two brought a sense of greater urgency to coal production and a simultaneous shortage of labour. The development of larger equipment meant that open cut mining was recognised as a viable alternative to underground methods, because open cut mining was less labour intensive. The Stockton open cut commenced in 1943, using mechanical shovels and trucks which were, however, very small by today`s standards.
A single dragline was used on the coalfield for some years, but did not have the reach to cope with the deeper excavations dictated by the thick, unproductive overburdens. This machine now sits at Griffin`s Muja Mine entrance, as a forlorn reminder of our past. In the history of the Collie coalfield there have been 12 underground mines and 18 open cuts. The last underground mines were closed in 1994.
Location
| Address: | Throssell & Atkinson Streets, Railway Museum, Collie, 6225 |
|---|---|
| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.358333 Long: 116.148333 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Technology |
| Sub-Theme: | Industry |
| Link: | http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au |
Dedication
Plaque :
54RB Mechanical Shovel
The 54 Rushton Bucyrus (RB) excavator was purchased by Griffin Coal in September 1961 and worked in excess of thirty eight thousand hours in the Collie coalfields during which time in moved approximately 9 million tonnes of coal
It was donated by the Collie community by the Griffin Colal Mining Company in 1977. The original 4.5 tonne bucket is still attached.
This machine was buried under sand in an accident in 1964. Luckily, however the driver was on his crib break. Another employee burrowed his way down into the sand and shut the machine off.
